Sustainability is a key element in helping Singapore create a better future for everyone, and Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP)'s new sustainability masterplan aims to drive sustainable change for the next generation.

The masterplan comprises a pivotal component, NYP X, a series of plug-and-play sustainability initiatives and activities to involve and help catalyse positive change in different communities and neighbourhoods across Singapore, starting with NYP's immediate neighbourhood - Teck Ghee.

From Project Rejuven-Aid, a home refurbishment initiative that supports vulnerable households, to the vibrant Freecycle Market that breathes new life into pre-loved items, NYP aims to expand these programmes through partnerships beyond their campus.

Bridging gaps in community needs

Gloria Chua, 19, a year-two student pursuing a Diploma in Mass Media Management, was the overall in charge of Project Rejuven-Aid.

The main goal of the initiative was to help improve the living spaces of senior residents and low-income families who may be struggling to maintain their homes on their own, thereby enhancing their overall well-being.

"We wanted to make their homes feel safer, more comfortable and pleasant for them to live in. But a big part of it was also connecting with the seniors," Gloria says.

The nine-hour project saw about 300 students cleaning a total of 53 housing units. Planning was crucial for such a large-scale event to run smoothly, and house assessments were conducted two to three weeks before the actual cleaning, to ensure that they were adequately prepared for the individual needs of each unit.

"When I walked around, some of the residents were saying, 'all of you have been amazing in helping us. You've been doing a really good job'," Gloria recalls.

"It's just gratitude going all around", she adds.

As the president of NYP's LEO club, which promotes service activities among youths, Gloria also shared that it was heartening to see everyone come together and see how much they could achieve when working together.

"It really highlighted the strength and beauty of a community working together for a shared purpose. And NYP provided us students with a platform to be active citizens while empowering us to step into the roles of being caring and nurturing leaders," Gloria shares.

"Through this, I realised how such initiatives can inspire us to make meaningful connections to the society," she continued.

NYP student leaders are given bigger responsibilities as part of the campus' initiative to mould them into the next generation of leaders and changemakers in the expanding sustainability sector.

Issyam, 21, a year-two student pursuing a Diploma in Robotics and Mechatronics, was another NYP student leader engaged as part of the same sustainability project - Eco Fest.

Eco Fest is part of the NYP X initiative that took place at Teck Ghee Community Club. It is a succession of eco-friendly activities with NYP encouraging residents to adopt sustainable living habits.

He oversaw manpower needs, logistics and publicity for the Adopt a Block and Freecycle Market portion of the Eco Fest.

Issyam is also the president of NYP's GEO Council, a CCA that focuses on environmental issues and organises events like beach cleanups and nature appreciation.

Good habits take time to cultivate

At the Eco Fest, close to 100 students engaged in the various activities held for residents.

Adopt a Block is focused on raising awareness about sustainability through continual monthly engagements. Student leaders such as Issyam and his team, in an effort to cultivate the importance of sustainability in daily habits, will specially curate programmes for residents to participate.

Residents in Teck Ghee's vicinity were engaged in an array of programmes, including signing up for waste management workshops held at Our Tampines Hub. There they learnt how waste is processed in Singapore and turned into useful by-products such as compost and fertiliser.

"They have also gone on trips to our on-campus greenhouse where we grow vegetables and give them out to the residents through events like the Adopt a Block launch and Freecycle Market," Issyam says.

The Freecycle Market, in its effort to build a more circular community, saw popularity among students and residents alike.

It aims to have the public view waste in a different light while offering an avenue to give pre-loved items a second lease of life. Issyam comments that this initiative "fosters a higher culture of sustainability and inspires the residents to adopt more eco-friendly practices".

When asked about future plans, Issyam shares that he hopes to expand their reach.

"It would be nice to scale up our Freecycle Markets. Maybe we can partner up with local businesses", he shares.

"It's important to create opportunities for people to reflect on their habits and show them how they can take steps towards a more sustainable living," Issyam adds.

Nurturing the next wave of sustainability trailblazers

The Diploma in Sustainability in Engineering with Business is one of NYP's efforts to blend sustainability elements into their curriculum. Students will be equipped with the relevant skills to be able to thrive in the ever-expanding sustainability sector.

In addition, all NYP students will have the opportunity to develop their sustainability awareness and knowledge, through the infusion of sustainability elements into their curriculum.

"And outside of the modules, our school always encourages us to be sustainable with our projects and programmes. There's always some recycling or sustainability effort going on," Gloria shares.

A game-changer

The NYP Living Lab is another initiative available for enterprises looking for a partner to work with on innovative sustainability solutions. Businesses and start-ups can collaborate with NYP on their sustainability innovations and bring their ideas to life.

The polytechnic has ringfenced $10 million in funding for this purpose. It is aimed at generating ideas quickly, testing them, and then implement them rapidly in commercial and real-world settings.

A Living Lab project will involve three entities - staff/students, industry partners and NYP campus. These solutions must be trialled on campus and need to be able to create positive and impactful change.

An example of a partnership that's implementing the Living Lab model is a collaboration with Fisheroo, an alternative protein company. Leveraging the idea in the translational research of cultivated meat and seafood, NYP supported them in designing bioreactors to scale up cell production allowing the company to conduct market trials and consumer acceptance tests on campus.

Change the future together

NYP is not only empowering industries and communities with sustainability capabilities and relevant knowledge to address current and future challenges; they are also teaching learners about it with future-ready sustainability skills.

By implementing sustainability into its curriculum and organising initiatives like Adopt a Block, NYP ensures that its graduates will be well-prepared to pursue careers in the expanding sustainability sector, serving as changemakers and leaders for a positive difference.

Are you keen on partnering with Nanyang Polytechnic and bringing your ideas to life while contributing sustainably?

Visit NYP's website to find out more about their Sustainability Masterplan and its initiatives. For companies who are interested to collaborate with NYP on Living Lab projects, they can email asi@nyp.edu.sg.

This article is brought to you in partnership with Nanyang Polytechnic.

jiajun.tan@asiaone.com

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